 The Estate &
Winery
After purchasing the property in 1998, Carol & Virgil Beasley planted their organic
zinfandel grapes. They attended Santa Rosa Junior College for viticulture and have
since continued to further their knowledge of grape-growing while working with several
consultants. Carol and Virgil decided
in 2005 to grow their vines biodynamically and have been Demeter Certified since 2006.
Currently the Beasleys are selling their grapes to local wineries. A portion of the
vineyard is being crafted by Virgil Beasley and the Loyal Order of the Grape Knife, a small
private
winemaking club.
About Biodynamic Wine and Wine Making
Biodynamic wine making goes beyond organic. In addition to being grown without chemical pesticides,
herbicides, fertilizers or fungicides, growing biodynamic wine grapes involves bringing
the process more in tune with nature. A biodynamic vineyard is viewed as a complete living system,
including the soil, the insects and animals, and the other flora that live in the vineyard.
 About Demeter Certification
"Demeter® USA is the only certification agent for Biodynamic® farms, processors and
products in the United States. As a non-profit organization, Demeter's mission is to improve
the health of the planet and its people by providing certification of products whose ingredients
are grown and processed according to the highest agricultural and environmental standards. From
farm to market, only those companies that consistently meet these standards are permitted to
display the Demeter certification mark.
"Biodynamic® farming is free of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers in the same manner as
certified organic farming. In order to qualify for Demeter Biodynamic® status a farm must
first
meet the same 3-year transition requirement that NOP certified organic farming requires.
"What distinguishes a Demeter certified Biodynamic® farm from a certified organic farm is
that, in
its entirety, a Demeter Biodynamic farm is managed as a living organism. This is the fundamental
principal of the Biodynamic farming method." Demeter USA
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